The History of the Demiurge - An Ancient Alternate God?

[@CosmicSkeptic]

Get all sides of every story and be better informed at ground.news/AlexOC - subscribe for 40% off unlimited access. For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack: www.alexoconnor.com

[@japexican007]

god of this world = satan It’s in the Bible as well

[@Metso-ateco]

That tash is criminal, its got to go.

[@robertmahaney9147]

this pope ain't even catholic .

[@rob_7775]

I love this I’m glad you’re doing this.

[@finnjake6174]

I dont get it, why does he wear the kippa when he is not religious?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Great to be back on - thanks!

[@MythVisionPodcast]

I'm really glad Alex had you back brother!

[@folee_edge]

Esoterica is a FANTASTIC channel

[@Godisandrogynous]

your work is really cool

[@japexican007]

god of this world = satan Sincerely the Bible

[@888_vav]

Yall know how to kick ball. 🙏✌ ✝️

[@averageatom]

Justin Sledge is one of the few KZbinrs that discovered very early when he had just a few hundred views and it’s been astounding and gratifying to see him rise. So well deserved. Much respect to you both. I discovered this channel much more recently and the blending of two worlds is so very satisfying.

[@Mutantcy1992]

Plus his name is badass

[@willmosse3684]

@@Mutantcy1992Sounds like a Sledgehammer of Justice or something! Hero name!

[@ElyonDominus]

I am a fairly recent viewer of his content. It's some of the best on the breadth of religious and cultural topics he covers.

[@nayrtnartsipacify]

Its too bad he is an insufferable leftist.

[@Rabbithole8]

He's amazing.

[@Rydonattelo]

ESOTERICA! My main man. The black metal wizard/ rabbi. I absolutely adore his work. He finds the perfect middle ground to talk about religion, necromancy, the occult but with a logical way that is more of a study. He's an expert on the subject, not a preacher. Great collaboration Alex. Fantastic teacher to anyone interested in learning about this history of these subjects.

[@jordancrago5129]

Do we know anything about his personal religious faith/theology? He seems not to be a traditionalist, yet he still seems like a religious Jew.

[@Rydonattelo]

@@jordancrago5129 He's Jewish but as far as I know he's agnostic. He's an absolute expert on theology of religion and the the history of esoteric practice. He has a PhD.

[@jeffh2166]

Justin was your best guest so far on these biblical deep dives episodes

[@Stoneworks]

I love Esoterica, fantastic channel. Can't wait to watch

[@kapasian9009]

The legend is here!

[@jooseppielleese7156]

I remember that dude too was suprised he ended up on here, is he jewish?

[@thefrostyscoop]

Dr sledge was one of my professors at MCA, really made me interested in esoteric history before he even had a channel! Stoked to see you sit down with him 2 of my favorite channels collabing!!!❤

[@RodencyRoyalist]

I am beginning to fear that moustache is the demiurge... We protest and protest yet it endures in its malevolence.

[@Arcticpiano303]

Literally

[@rech3771]

😂

[@justacanofbeans8217]

Exactly, please Alex, please.

[@Wetstache]

That stache is weak.

[@willmosse3684]

It’s definitely not the perfect platonic form of a moustache - That’s the evil worldly bodged version 😂

[@IfYouSeekCaveman]

Been waiting for this. The last podcast with Justin Sledge is my favorite you've done. His breadth of knowledge, and his ability to recall and communicate that knowledge is incredible.

[@nikibankov1218]

I cannot get over the fact that I love and hate Alex's moustache at the same time

[@okktok]

Are you 14

[@GOG-KING]

Are you?​@@okktok

[@pilotnamealreadytaken6035]

That's the definition of art 😂

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

He's gone from Oxford philosopher to Freddie Mercury with a few strokes of the razor.

[@DickRarrah]

Its a cock sucker moustache

[@petebrennanmusic6939]

'Demiurge' is a great name for a Death Metal band and that thumbnail would be the perfect artwork for their debut album.... 🎸

[@RepublicofGilead-br4uv]

Meshuggah does have a song called “Demiurge”, which is my favorite song by them.

[@pilotnamealreadytaken6035]

I agree this is death metal material 100%

[@onimusha13]

Demiurge by Meshuggah, although a song - not an album, fucks

[@raz0rcarich99]

​@@RepublicofGilead-br4uv Badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum badadum

[@deathmetalglenn]

​@@raz0rcarich99😂😂nice

[@Fearia6]

I'm loving the gnostic deep dives, this is one of my favorite topics.

[@ilanraeayalabaciu2957]

Why are sucking the gnostic cock?

[@MythVisionPodcast]

Perfect guest for a not-so-perfect world! Great conversation so far ‎@CosmicSkeptic & ‎@TheEsotericaChannel ! This should be an ongoing series of conversations. ❤

[@pilotnamealreadytaken6035]

Agreed I love getting to listen to Justin actually conversate. He is very well spoken and carries a convo on a pro level

[@willmosse3684]

Two of our finest thinkers! And explainers! And for a bonus - Mythvision in the chat! What a team!

[@eM_Wu]

What a delightful theme for Sunday evening

[@danielmcdonald6227]

This is exactly what I needed right now. Just been reading a similar wiki article only for this to pop up

[@AndrewHill-ly2mh]

That’s a sign from some version of some version of some god or other. REPENT TO ALL OF THEM NOW, TO COVER YOUR BASES! 😂

[@danielmcdonald6227]

@@AndrewHill-ly2mh haha oh shit you’re right. Well, I’m off to commit self-flagellation now then…

[@misterOphilies]

These are great conversations you have with Dr. Sledge. Thank you.

[@AnonymousAlcoholic772]

I never understood why, given their history, Jews insist on believing that their God is benevolent. One would think that all the evidence points to the opposite.

[@rodrigomachado5291]

It’s a kind of spiritual Stockholm Syndrome. Just look at Leonard Cohen’s last album. His bitterness towards his God.

[@SineN0mine3]

It's fairly simple, within religious thought things like benevolence, goodness or love are defined by God's actions. Benevolence just means whatever God would have done so whatever God does is automatically benevolent. If it appears to you to be cruel and that appears to contradict benevolence that's due to your failure to understand God, benevolence or cruelty. A lowly human cannot understand God's plan or why the things he does out of love appear to be cruel, and to try to prove God wrong is a fool's errand if he defines what is right. I think that's why, as the guest says the history of Yaweh is nore compelling than philosophical and logical arguments. Philosophy and logic are ultimately tools for thinking and they can be used or abused for good or bad, the history is what it is for good or bad. Ok maybe God invented all the stories that came before his story, but why would a god do that? Of all the cryptic things God has ever done, telling us all the ither gods existed was probably his biggest mistake...

[@Neognostic-pk5wu]

​​​@@SineN0mine3it's like you're so close to making that philosophical leap, but your dogmatism has just prevented you from quite landing it yet. You even illustrated the complete inconsistent nature of divine morality that a lot of apologists tend to skirt around in philosophical discussions about morality being objective because they know how utterly circular it becomes when God becomes the arbiter of an "objective" standard. But unlike them, you fly into it head-on. Bravo 😅

[@arturhashmi6281]

Yeah, cause Leonard Cohen's album is theologically representative for Judaism and the problem of evil, because Cohen was Jewish. Atheism is kind of cosmic nihilism, just look at Lovecraft and his books. Atheism is kind of comical rationalism, just look at Ricky Gervais and his comedy. Anecdotal evidence is a common logical fallacy, It is better to be aware of that.

[@arturhashmi6281]

The Book of Job is lit. their answer for that, this book is a poem about the Evil in the world and why it exists. Is it a good explanation? Thats not for me to say. Im not Jewish nor Christian, but It is clear that they were asking themselves that question about 2,5k years ago as well and I recommend you to read it, It is undoubtly one of the classic books of western culture. We need to remember that Yahwe starts his career as one of the bronze age patriarchal Gods representing particular tribe and later he is transformed into monotheistic God of all, probably during Babylonian exile, because we can see that shift clearly in the Book of Isaiah, where the God is eg. said to be the creator of good and evil as well. When the multiple people creates one canon of books during more then thousand years, It would be surprising if all of their beliefs were completely compatible. Sorry for my poor English. Cheers.

[@brendanwiley253]

Empiricists: "That's an interesting theory on how the world was made Plato, care to back it up with a Source?" Plato:"My Source is that I made it the fuck up!"

[@Nick-ij5nt]

theists: can you empirically prove empiricism? empiricists: we can prove empiricism if you grant us empiricism

[@Anon-f6j]

Almost as good as him literally just flexing his muscles as his counterargument.

[@zevkurtzman8108]

Ive been waiting for Dr. Sledge to come back

[@Vampyr_000]

Alex o Connor and my favorite occultist

[@I-am-Hrut]

Dr. Sledge doesn't believe in any of the occult knowledge he studies

[@zacharylong7717]

Right!!!

[@spiralsausage]

Dr Sledge is brilliant and I'm so grateful that you are both making high quality discussions public and accessible ❤

[@Philusteen]

So happy to see Dr. J back. Caffeine engaged. 🖖☕

[@folee_edge]

Thanks for bringing the Esoterica Channel to my attention. I love his topics, his humor, and his delivery. Dense but delicious!

[@Thumbs81]

Wicked, this is perfect Sunday evening viewing

[@foppishdilletaunt9911]

Thank you @Esoterica Dr Sledge for your learning, sophistication and humour. Always interesting and edifying.

[@cathymelanson7119]

Two of my favorites together AGAIN!!!🎉

[@ashketchum6803]

Justin is one of the only guest you have on, that i have to seriously stop and focus to keep up with the conversation.

[@ShatteredWindowpane]

Please do 50 more episodes with Esoterica! These are the best episodes

[@siriusthecat]

Your last video with Dr. Justin was also my favorite of yours so far!! I had a renewed interest in gnosticism at a similar time to your series beginning. What a treat

[@ToMegaTherionXCIII]

Another interview with these two 💕. This is the best age to live in.

[@TheAnnaK74]

Thankyou for this video and for letting Dr Sledge talk freely because he has filled in a lot of gaps and answered a lot of long term questions for me.

[@Newcras]

Two of the KZbin philosophy channels I respect the most collabing? I'm here for it

[@TheAmericanAmerican]

As a former catholic now atheist, the more I learn about the beginnings of Christianity the more of what I "learned" in church makes sense on a historical level. The idea that early Christians used aspects of the ancient Egyptian religion to form the origins of Christianity is so fascinating! And all the talk of the Old Testament God being pretty much evil makes so much more sense when learning about how the early Christians wanted to distance themselves from Judaism. The lore is so incredibly deep!

[@matejoh]

The 'stache isn't the reality we want, but its the reality we need.

[@dakotacole3713]

Sometimes the greatest truths are the hardest to deal with.

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

I honestly find it amazing that even thousands of years ago, people read the bible and went "Huh, this sounds pretty evil doesn't it? No way the god of love would do this stuff, it has to be a lesser, evil god who created the world and commands all this genocide." These guys were so far ahead, the god of the bible really does line up with the demiurge.

[@adamplentl5588]

The Bible hasn't existed for thousands of years.

[@sowersass2]

Crazier to me is how anyone reads the Bible now and thinks oh yeah that makes sense.

[@robotaholic]

​@@sowersass2exactly...like Adam and Eve getting punished for disobedience when they haven't eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and bad yet or how did God make day and night before making the sun lol or planting vegetation before making the sun lololo - why worship someone who admits they killed everyone on earth except 8 already and they will tell the story he wants, too....

[@SavannahEasom]

@@sowersass2god loves you beyond reason. The older you get, the more sense it makes.

[@SavannahEasom]

@@robotaholicgod loves you too! Try looking at the Bible with softer eyes. This world is not as He intended, which is a byproduct of giving free will to man and his angels and demigods. Which also ties into the Flood and the slaughter of canaanites. Micheal Heiser really tied this together for me.

[@24kanthony]

Great guest. His videos are so informative and he doesn't present any of his assumptions as if they were hard facts, that should be considered in a more dramatic way then appropriate

[@joshuasheets9236]

Your videos are never short. But these feature length interviews are great. Dr. Sledge is such a smart dude, I’ve been excited for this video since you announced it in your QnA. If I ever learn his secrets in how to find buried treasure I’ll cut you in too.

[@EVERBLACCK]

Just subbed yesterday. This channel is fascinating.

[@psicologiayneurocienciaoficial]

Awesome conversation! 😮 Thank you, both of you.

[@Orikon25]

Holy hell what a magnificent fucking podcast, especially towards the end when you touch upon all the meta truths and universal principles that the Gnostic Christians seem to have been be pretty close to and the various influences stemming from philosophical and cultural machninations on a local level. Each time I think I know a lot about this entire topic, I'm proven wrong. Thank you so much Alex. This kind of insight, knowledge and wisdom used to be reserved for the few, but here we are listening to it for free from the comfort of our homes.

[@johnmejia4428]

This was such a great conversation!

[@nono9543]

Any God that demands worship from its followers is not the one true God. Why desperately crave the validation of your servants? That's not love.

[@emaanserghini1919]

He does not demand worship because He seeks validation, rather it's the proper state of affairs. The dependent and insufficient should depend on the Independent and Self-insufficient.

[@randomguyoninternet1183]

@@emaanserghini1919 I've heard both Christians and Muslims refer to God as independent and self-sufficient, but that just begs the question: Why would he even create the universe and humanity to begin with? What use is humanity to a perfectly self-sufficient being? Do we exist to fulfill some need or desire? If so, then God is not self-sufficient. If not, then what motivation could such a being have for creating anything?

[@glizzygoat]

my two favorite theology chanel’s talking about the gnostics for 2 hours. can’t get any better!!

[@AnonymousAlcoholic772]

Δημιουργός can mean craftsman, but it could also mean creator, and further, it could also mean instigator.

[@Pootycat8359]

Hmmm...Might it ALSO mean the "Architect," as the Masons might put it? 🙂

[@AnonymousAlcoholic772]

@@Pootycat8359 i dont think so. That is Αρχιτέκτονας. Or Αρχιτέκτων in ancient greek. Its own specific word BUT… implication is more important i think. In any case, it means one who makes something come into being, whether that is a universe or a riot.

[@Pootycat8359]

@@AnonymousAlcoholic772 At any rate, it's an interesting coincidence. An architect IS a "craftsman," of a sort, and he IS "[O]ne who makes something come into being..."

[@minahana1112]

This was really great! Thank you Justin and Alex and I hope you can talk again!

[@euep918]

I love Justin's humor

[@bl3df0rdays]

What a treat! Thank you Alex and Justin!

[@elephantsface]

Commenting on the first part cause I haven’t watched the whole video yet, the Yahweh video stuck out to me in a weird way like you guys were talking about. I think because growing up catholic I had often heard atheist arguments against religion, like the problem of evil, so the rebuttals were known to me. But I had never heard of a recorded beginning of Yahweh and recorded changes to how he was defined so the idea I had that god has always been around and always been the same being contradicted with evidence was a very new thing to think about and with how entrenched I had been in religion, it was jarring to be introduced to the new way to think about it.

[@10deximo41]

please get dr sledge on again, definitely my favorite guest and one of my favorite religious educators on youtube

[@chriswilliamsCKG]

Watching the last conversation led me to subscribe and enjoy @TheEsotericaChannel content. Let’s see where this one leads me.

[@veganostra7388]

My favourite people on youtube talking about my favourite subject, what a treat!

[@hissupremecorrectfulnessre9478]

I clicked this so fast, I ripped a hole in the fabric of the spacetime continuum and caused the Tunguska explosion.

[@Johnathonswift]

Excellent, I'm rewinding this back to the beginning immediately.

[@MarkPatmos]

I’ve solved your parallel line dilemna. If two parallel lines meet then they were never true parallel lines. They are only apparently parallel lines that are in fact intersecting lines if they meet.

[@christopherhamilton3621]

Or else they start off in Euclidean space & veer off in Non-Euclidean space. Biology does this all the time…

[@Phantasmeels]

I'm absolutely psyched that you guys filmed a follow-up episode

[@petecowley3481]

Very mindful. Very demurge

[@davidfleming7887]

I love “matter isn’t evil it’s just not perfect”

[@AleisterCrowleyDiary]

The live was simply incredible, with an impressive depth of insights, and the guest brought wisdom and clarity that enriched the discussion even further!🙂

[@4nastasia-y7x]

Can't wait to see this one!

[@TastelessOpinion]

This guy is so close to what it is. i am glad he is laying the ground for people to accept the incoming revelations. You are doing good my friend. Keep it up

[@rodrigomachado5291]

What revelations? You got me curious.

[@adamplentl5588]

You sound stupid when you say things like this.

[@TastelessOpinion]

@@rodrigomachado5291 The scientific proof for the "gods". It's going to get great my dude. Soon.

[@mdevilden]

most awesome guest!

[@kdemetter]

3:40 Wait what ? I've been lied to all my life ? ;-)

[@ramonacevedo356]

Heck yea. My favorite u tubers!!! Looking forward to the discussion bro... Doogie

[@Saltyarticles]

Oh man. I love Esoterica channel. Super Black Metal episode on this one.

[@993LD]

Great guest, great discussion, great mustache 👍 this was a win

[@JamesMc2051]

Some of this stuff appears in a Hermann Hesse book I read as a teenager. That's what this reminds me of. He called it Abraxas, I think.

[@arturhashmi6281]

Abraxas was one of the names used by various Gnostics to call the Demiurge or one of the Archons/Aeons/Demons, it depends on which texts you read, eg. in Basilidian Gnosticism it is rather different character then for Sethian Gnostics, anyway it became very popular among the pagans as well and it made it's way into modern occultism and pop culture.

[@JamesMc2051]

@@arturhashmi6281 Thanks. The book was Demian, for anyone interested. Don't ask me the plot or anything. All I remember is it was a lot of theology and 99% of the book was just the internal monologue of the character.

[@MrEvasto]

Thank you very much for this deep dive! I'm a more or less Christian believer. Have been agnostic most of my life since two years ago. And I have to say that Alex's channel is one of the place from which I learn the most precious philosophical bricks, so to say.

[@katmannsson]

Girls will see this Video and just think "Hell yeah"

[@Chompskyfan]

Why?

[@SineN0mine3]

​@@Chompskyfanbot? Who knows anymore...

[@Chompskyfan]

@@SineN0mine3 Me? Just because I asked "why"? I don't honestly get it. Is it because of Alex being good looking or having a mustache?

[@DrWolves]

Here is a path for thought: Evil and Pain are close siblings of the same realm.

[@john-xp4em]

"The 👑GREATEST MAN in HISTORY" had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He did not live in a castle, yet they called Him Lord, He ruled no nations, yet they called Him King, He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today! "His name is JESUS❤"

[@IsuDellu]

His name is JOHN CENA

[@john-xp4em]

@@IsuDellu 😅😅lol on you @isudeluuuuuuuuuuuuu..

[@adamplentl5588]

Ugh. You people are absolutely insufferable.

[@mrhistorybuff]

This was immensely captivating! Thank you!!!

[@bucurel]

first

[@danielmcdonald6227]

@@bucurel afraid I beat you buddy

[@freshtoast3879]

​@@danielmcdonald6227 Yours shows up second.

[@danielmcdonald6227]

@@freshtoast3879 oh no you’re right now. It didn’t at first. I accept defeat…

[@freshtoast3879]

@@danielmcdonald6227 Here you go 🥈

[@bucurel]

@@danielmcdonald6227 it seems that yt deceived us both, there was no comment at the time I wrote mine, I think the same happened to you and a few others, from what I saw after refreshing the page :( anyway, I wish the best to whoever was really the first.

[@WeyounSix]

Dr. Sledge is an AMAZING guest

[@Daniel-so9se]

Jesus Loves You

[@czar6203]

Then why did he let me see Alex's mustashe?

[@elegant-sloth]

So does your wife

[@c.jishnu378]

He does not, bot.

[@curiosity8494]

What about people born with birth defects. If he loves them why does he do that? To give just one example.

[@hartyewh1]

I didn't even pay him for the last gardening work he did so I'm pretty sure he hates me😅

[@yurironoue5888]

ESOTERICA is one of my favourite KZbin channels on KZbin! Dr Sledge is brilliant!

[@ItzMeSkyzer]

Jesus Loves you and your families guys! If you do have any problem in life, or if you are currently in a problem, you can surely ask Jesus for Help. He will Help you, for He Loves you and wants you to be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven.

[@RoninTF2011]

Nice story. Why should I believe it?

[@nickp2070]

Nope

[@machineelf9459]

Ask humanity on the internet for help instead, those prayers may actually be answered. Praise Algo the true god!

[@user-soon300]

My family prosecuted me because of my beliefs and how they're giving me a headline for preparing myself to get out the house and I don't know what to do 💔

[@ItzMeSkyzer]

@@user-soon300 Don't worry, my friend. Nothing can bring you down when the One who Created you is with you. It is only when you grow closer towards God, Satan would come closer to you, to bring you down from the Victory you would gain. Indeed, God is with you, even to the end of the ages! Rise up and move forward, for the Lord God who Rose from the Dead is with you!

[@oliverjamito9902]

Students shared "i" AM will say, Lord is so delightful seeing thy shared having sincere conversations! Indeed!

[@miniwheatz93]

One of the main ideas that brought me away from a belief in god was that I did not see his proposed effect, and I instead occasionally saw people that I believed to be good doing 'bad' things. This led me to the idea that an 'evil' being is more likely to exist than a wholly 'good' being; didnt know it had a name!

[@Foretelling]

Ah amazing, this will be a brilliant discussion!

[@ravenecho2410]

that was super fun!

[@the__zurvan]

A prime example of great content

[@VivekaAlaya]

Great conversation

[@d20Fitness]

You can have the crumbs sounds like so much “horse and sparrow” and “trickle down”

[@DJWESG1]

Because it's all related to the same contradictions.

[@thcbenji42069]

You two are my two favorite channels, estatic you guys collabed

[@jkl4507]

Elisha and Elijah are different characters in the bible. Elisha is the one in the bear story.

[@iandavies3395]

Two of my favourite KZbin channels. Perfect Sunday evening in the UK! 😁

[@mikieemiike3979]

"Nickelodeon magazines. They have comics and puzzles and great stuff to collect, but only a real life adult can call."

[@MaleINTP]

So... Apologetics has always existed since ancient Greece... This reminds me of the excuses such as "slavery back then wasn't as bad as today's slavery... They had rights. God isn't immoral for allowing it..."

[@tactlacker]

And those same people will denounce and deny they participate in historical relativism!

[@DJWESG1]

They also offered a very good critique of slavery and bondage , as we do today.

[@tactlacker]

@@DJWESG1 reminds me of Parenti's remarks about the majority of the populations were often slaves and it's a safe bet slaves would've generally been opposed to their own suffering/or that any defense would originate from those aggrandizers who dynastically stood to gain from its perpetuation

[@askers_]

Why is everyone talking about this so much in the last couple months? Everyone and their mother learned the word demiurge recently.

[@Neognostic-pk5wu]

I noticed that Gnostic philosophy was very much a niche interest until recently. I think James Lyndsey recently pushed it more to the front with his bizarre reach to link a dead Judeo Christian tradition to modern day wokeness via conflating Hegel with Gnosticism. Perhaps the resurgence of interest in it is an unintended Streisand Effect from people who have heard what Lyndsey has to say and wanting to find out what it actually is as a result?

[@christopherhamilton3621]

@@Neognostic-pk5wuI think it’s been a topic even before Lindsay started with his stories.

[@Neognostic-pk5wu]

@@christopherhamilton3621 it's always been a topic but it always seemed to be in fairly obscure circles. It's still not exactly mainstream, but there's seems to have been a noticeable upsurge of interest in just the last couple of years.

[@justmbhman]

THAT IS AN INSANELY COOL "DEMIURGE" THUMBNAIL 😎

[@tompatterson1548]

If it weren’t for the syncretism with El, I think Yahweh’s history wouldn’t be quite so problematic to some people. It could always be that “oh, this region is just where he first revealed himself” until he’s two gods combined.

[@roylaufer9233]

I realize that this is not a zoological discourse, but donkeys are fertile (where do you think we get donkeys from?). He is getting donkeys confused with mules, who are cross-bred donkeys with horses, that are very rarely able to reproduce.

[@poeticjustice1611]

So many great points were made in this entire discussion. I especially like the way it was wrapped up with recognizing how much speculative philosophy was instrumental to early Christianity’s theological development. This particularly resonated with me because it surprised me when I learned about this in college while studying to be a Christian pastor. So much so that I stopped pursuing this endeavor and chose to walk away from the Christian faith. It was enough for me to realize a lot of the core theological beliefs of Christian orthodoxy were heavily reliant on Ancient Greek philosophical concepts. I mean there were many other reasons why I chose to stop believing in Christianity, but this was one of the main reasons why I couldn’t maintain a belief in this religion any longer. This isn’t something that the normal church layman is taught at their Sunday service. And so finding out how it was all developed over time in detail made me feel like I was being lied to this whole time. I found it all to be disingenuous.

[@B.INVNCBL]

Absolutely love Dr Justin Sledge’s work. Esoterica is the best

[@erickaufmann5174]

28:54 someone please get Alex a double espresso - or else this is going to be a tough for hin..

[@befeleme]

The whole life is suffering. So if someone created it, he must have been evil.

[@royaebrahim2449]

Please have him more❤❤❤❤❤

[@user-gd2fc2kk3m]

just the kind of thing that brings me joy, on such a special day

[@jamesgwoodwork]

I got through 2 weeks of sophomore year Christian Scriptures (after freshman year Hebrew Scriptures) before I said "this ain't the same god".

[@docbauk3643]

Very, very interesting conversation. Thanks.